Microfinance Institutions were supposed to be torchbearers of the Indian social enterprise movement, bringing micro-credit to millions of impoverished. Six months after SKS Microfinance’s high-profile IPO in Jun 2010, a spate of suicides by over 200 debt-ridden MFI clients in Andhra Pradesh brought the SKS juggernaut to a screeching halt. SKS and the MFI sector are yet to recover from the AP government intervention but a recent Associated Press expose vindicates the government’s stand that MFIs had indeed created a frenzy of over-indebtedness and pressuring borrowers so relentlessly that some committed suicide.

Of the 46-strong cohort on the One Planet MBA at the University of Exeter Business School in the UK, 68 per cent are women, a figure the school is proud of. The One Planet MBA was launched in September 2011 in association with WWF, the international conservation campaign group, and has a strong emphasis on sustainability. A pilot group the previous year comprised 55 per cent women and applications so far for 2012 are in line with 2011, suggesting the 68 per cent figure is not a fluke.

· What should the priorities be for the apparel business? Labour conditions, water footprints, fibres and carbon.

In order to implement systemic change, there must first be a market for sustainable products, and currently that is quite small. Companies need to heighten customer awareness of where clothing comes from, how it is made and the social and environmental impact of its production. One panellist commented that there is a market for sustainability but currently consumers just don’t know enough.

· Sharing best practices is a key element for change in the industry. Sharing knowledge is critical because the clothing industry is very complex and there is not just one answer. Only through collaboration at different stages of the supply chain we can find solutions.

· One of the problems is that many ethical fashion companies do not get the exposure of the big, non-ethical brands because they cannot afford PR representation which is the engine house of the fashion industry. This means while there may be editors and stylists who would like some of the ethical fashion being produced, they are not exposed to it in the same way they are to big labels.

· It is key for a brand to find an appropriate product and lexicon to communicate their approach to sustainability.

· It is important to establish longer-term relationships with suppliers. The fashion industry is notorious for chopping and changing its suppliers according to price, but in order to work with suppliers effectively, and to ensure green codes are effectively deployed in factories, longer-term relationships are needed.

· One of the major trends will be securing resources, raw materials, energy and water to run factories. Cotton prices have gone up over the last 12 months with factories in Bangladesh suffering four or five power cuts every day. With rising energy and water bills all over the world, even the big brands will struggle with these issues. Companies should see these challenges as an opportunity for more sustainable designs.

A few days ago we posted about how large brands such as Nike, Puma and Patagonia are making changes to their production and marketing strategies to have a more sustainable impact on the world. Additionally, we shared with you how Tiffany & Co. emphasizes social responsibility through some of their practices. Here is another great article on how large brands are making social changes:

At Shopanthropic, we focus on create social change on a smaller scale through unique, sustainable and ethical products made by amazing artisans in India and Nepal. Stay tuned for new pieces in our collection soon!

A giant leading the way into a more sustainable future. “Tiffany & Co. looks to the beauty of the natural world for design inspiration. We also look to the bounty of that world for the precious materials that give form and life to our designs. “ – Tiffany Website

Sustainability in consumerism has tapped into the athletic products industry through not-profits dedicated to sustainability and large brands endorsing causes.

In January of this year, Nike launched its cutting-edge website dedicated to its sustainability brand, NikeBetterWorld.com. Although the sustainable content is noteworthy, Nike received more attention for the innovative HTML5 scroll down design. In May, Puma released its first Environmental Profit and Loss statement, valuing its GHG impacts at $194 Million USD, the first such triple bottom line documentation in its class.

Additionally, by releasing information about the materials they are using (and how sustainable they are), and spending more on R&D in this field – companies are making waves. One particularly interesting partnership was between Patagonia and eBay for their “Buy Less” campaign, as they encouraged a secondhand market for Patagonia’s products.

Shifting the perspective from “Too big to solve” to “Too big to fail” — what traditional non-profits and NGOs can learn from business students who are at the forefront of social change. Can the next generation of global social entrepreneurs create radical innovation breakthroughs that actually solve social issues?

Yale students to provide free consulting services to social enterprises

A group of Yale MBA students will travel to Cape Town, South Africa during spring break to provide pro bono consulting services to social enterprises. The 25 students are classmates in Global Social Enterprise (GSE), an elective course and student-led club at the Yale School of Management (SOM).

At the intersection of technology, fashion and social change, we are proud to be a supporter of the ‘North of 41’ Canada House at SxSW 2012. To learn more about this initiative, visit: http://northof41.org/.

Here is another great article about how traditional artisans are getting the opportunity to learn how to design fashionable products:

Throughout the year, the artisans return to the defining aspects of their traditions, and are encouraged to extend their own vocabularies in developing new motifs and concepts. Working towards creating a final collection, students collaborate with urban design students. The result is a wonderfully eye-opening and respect building experience.

Shopanthropic is proud to celebrate International Woman’s Day today, March 8th 2012! Started in the midst of the movement for Women’s rights in the early 1900s, the day has become a chance to recognize the extraordinary achievements of women and address issues women are facing worldwide.

At Shopanthropic, we focus on supporting women artisans in become self-sufficient entrepreneurs through their talents. These are extraordinary women, with extraordinary skills who are trying to become part of a solution to the problems associated with poverty in their communities.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, support women artisans around the world!

“As opportunities to gain funding decrease, the last 18 months have experienced a marked increase in charitable, community and voluntary groups choosing to restructure as social enterprises in an attempt to make themselves sustainable.”

There is tons of help and support for Social Enterprise

It should never be a battle between social and enterprise

“It is no surprise that social enterprises are head and shoulders above regular businesses in terms of equalities, and the report from Social Enterprise UK – ‘Fightback Britain’ illustrates the benefits this sector can bring in terms of reaching those most in need and how organisations with a social mission play a vital role in contributing to the national economy.”

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The Bay & Harbour Blog

Bay & Harbour is the brainchild of a Toronto-based mother/daughter team with an eye for trend-setting, unique and high-quality fashion & lifestyle products.

The pair is inspired by different cultures, handicraft techniques, discrete designs, and fashion trends from their travels around the world. Bay & Harbour as their outlet to share that love of design with others.

The Bay & Harbour collections feature a variety of accessories & lifestyle products for both men & women.

The co-founders are passionate about fashion with a cause. Many of the Bay & Harbour collections also include pieces that are sustainable and / or ethically made.